Rocker and whirler



(No Model.)

H. W. HENSCH. ROCKER AND WHIRLER.

No. 454,681. PatentedJune 23, 1 891.,

macs-ed: 7%)% 1 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY IV. HENSUH, OF DAVENPORT, IOIV A.

ROCKER AND WHIRLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,681, dated June 23, 1891.

Application filed November 11, 1889. Serial No. 329,961. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. HENSCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Oombined Rocker and-Whirler, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of furniture designed to amuse children; and the objects of my improvements are to provide an article of furniture which may be utilized as a rocker or as a whirler for the purpose of affording both amusement and rest to young children. I accomplish this obj ect by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my device. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the central part being shown cut out to show a sectional view at such locality; and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the parts of the device.

Similar figures refer to similar throughout the several views.

The rocker is composed of two curved side boards 10 sufficiently apart and parallel, their outer ends connected by cross-pieces 11 and their upper central edges also connected by a platform 12, and their outer curved edges just beneath the cross-pieces are also provided with curved projections 13. These curved projections may, however, be omitted, as shown in Fig. 2. I prefer to also further connect the side boards by backs 14:, which are curved to follow substantially the exterior curvature of the edges of the side boards, and sufficiently recessed to leave such exterior edges projecting sufficient to form a tread, and extending such backs only in line with the ends of the platform, so as to leave a clear space beneath such platform between the side boards. These backs are not essential to my device; but their use tends to make the rocker appear more symmetrical and also strengthens it. Centrally on the under side of the platform is secured a downward ovalfaced plate 15, provided with a central perforation 16, registering with a central perforation 17 in said platform. The crosspieces 11 project a short distance beyond the side boards, and each of said projections are provided with a screw-threaded bolt 18. A seat 19 is supported upon each of said crossparts pieces, the bottom of which projects suffizontal plane to and from the center of the rocker for the purpose of equalizing the weight of the children occupying the seats where one child weighs more than the other.

At the four corners of the platform are secured standards or rods 21, on the top of which is secured a flat plate 22, which for appearance I prefer to construct circular in form, and centrally through said plate is a perforation 23 in line with perforation 17 of said platform. If desired, a less number of standards or rods may be used.

The device as thus described constitutes a rocker and may be placed on the floor or other surfa 3e independently of the other part of the device hereinafter described, so as to rest on the lower edges of its two curved side boards. A child may be placed in each seat and the seats adjusted to equalize their weight, and each child, grasping in each hand the rods 21 nearest to it, may, by the motion of its body, cause the device to rock and alternately to raise and lower each occupant of a seat. The projections 13 when attached serve to prevent accident by preventing the device from falling over endwise.

I construct a base 32 of four fiat pieces, preferably of wood and connected to form four right angles of such length as may be desired, and centrally on the upper surface of such base I secure a block 24:, and centrally in such block 1 construct a rectangulan formed well 25. Two or more standards 26 are secured to the upper surface of said base, so such standards will be upon either side of said block, and at the top of such standards I secure thereto an upward oval-faced plate 27 provided with a central perforation 28 to register with perforation 16 in the down- Ward oval-faced plate 15.

I construct an octagonal-formed'plate 29, and at its outer edges upon its upper surface I secure a projection orhalf-round 30 and centrally to its under side I rigidly attach a pendent rod 81. As an equivalent for such rigid attachment a rectangular orifice may be cut'through such plate 29 centrally, and the upper end of the rod 31 may be formed rectangular to fit such orifice and not permit it to rotate therein. Such construction is not illustrated in the drawings, as it will be readily understood. The rod 31 at its lower end is in form rectangular for a distance substantially equal to the depth of the well 25 in block 2a, and of size and form to fit snugly in such well, and above such rectangular part said rod is in form cylindrical and of greater diameter and of such size as to neatly pass through the apertures in the oval-faced plates, the platform, and plate 22.

The rocker is placed over the base 32 so that its downward oval-faced plate is supported upon the upward oval-faced plate of the base, and so their apertures register. The rod 31 is then passed downward through the apertures in plate 22, the platform, and oval faced plate, so that the lower rectangular end rests in the rectangular well in the block 24, the standards 26 upon said base being of sufficient length so as to elevate the bottom edges of the side boards just above the base. A child is then placed in each seat, the seats adjusted, if deemed necessary, and one or each child with its hands grasps from time to time the half-round projection 30 of the plate 29 and pulls thereon, causing the rocker to my device, some ornamental and expensive, others plain and cheap. Additional seats may be added at the sides of the rocker either temporarily or permanently.

I do not claim, broadly, and separately, a rocker, or, broadly and separately, a frame carrying seats, such frame being arranged to revolve in a horizontal plane around a given center upon a central bearing; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure .by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rocker and whirler, in combination with the curved side boardsand cross-pieces of the centrally perforated platform and downward oval-faced plate, the platformstandards, the centrally-perforated plate attached to-the upper part of said standards, the base, the block, the rectangular well in such block, the base-standards, the centrallyperforated upward oval-faced plate attached to the upper part of said base-standards, the octagonal plate, and the pendent rod, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a rocker provided with seats, of a platform. centrally located therein, a central vertical perforation through such platform, standards upon such platform, a plate secured to such standards,a central vertical perforation through. such plate, the base centrally sustaining the platform of such rocker, the vertical rod sustained in such base, and the non-rotating plate at the top of such rod, substantially as described.

HENRY XV. HENSOH. Witnesses:

CHAS. IIIBBARD, LoUIs BAURERE. 

